Just sign your name on a piece of white paper, scan that in, turn the white to transparent, and overlay the signature on the image that you are dealing with.
Use a mask and the transform tool to match it up.
And there is a lesson here:
You should always work on a copy of your file. this allows you to go back and retrieve something that was removed by mistake.
John, many thanks for the very prompt reply…I really am much obliged. To turn the white to transparent I have to drag it onto a page where the background is set to transparent…is that correct?Sadly, for me, your last sentance ‘use a mask and the transform tool to match it up’ proves my almost total ignorance of Photoshop and its many tools so could I beg a fuller explanation from you please.
Thanking you in anticipation..
Bryan
PS Many thanks too to Cybernetic for suggesting something I had never considered but which, without fail, I will put into practice altho’ in this case the scratch I was repairing actually went through the signature but I do see the sense in always having a ‘safe’ copy in reserve. Education is a marvellous thing especially when it is experience that is freely shared. Thank heavens for forums like this one.
Have both files open in Photoshop.
To turn the signature background transparent, first double-click the layer in the Layers Palette – this will allow you to rename it (transparency is, by definition, not supported in a layer called "Background").
Then select the white with the Magic Wand, set to non-contiguous in the Options bar. Press Delete and the white will disappear, leaving a checkerboard pattern.
Now drag this layer from the Layers Palette into the art work picture with the Move Tool.
Transform (Ctrl+T) will allow you to resize the signature to fit. Masking might be needed to hide areas of mis-match but I hope you won’t need it. 😉
John, thank you so very much for taking the time to explain this and for replying so quickly…I am very much obliged.
Kindest regards
Bryan
You’re welcome. Hope it works for you!
Better yet, since the edges of your sig are likely to be semitransparent, simply set the layer blend mode of sig layer to multiply.
If the sig background is not pure white adjust levels.
Barry, please forgive the tardy reply but I have been offline for 12 hours…thank you for the additional information and I will look out for the ‘layer blend mode’, and follow your advice.
Kindest regards.
Bryan
John and Barry, it worked beautifully…absolutely spot on just as you described. Many thanks again for taking the time to share.
Kindest regards
Bryan